The Severn Trent Clock

How it started

Soon after the Millennium, the old clock from the Severn Trent sewage works on Megaloughton Lane (seen below being dismantled) was donated to the community of Spondon, following a suggestion by John Ahern (then Councillor for Spondon). Since then we have been trying desperately to find a suitable location for it. We thought of splitting it up putting one face on a building on Nottingham Road and another on Sandringham House on Sitwell Street (currently used by Co-operative Funeral Services). We did not really want to break it up, and we had difficulty getting funding for these projects. This was perhaps no bad thing as now we believe that we have found a much better location.

As has been stated elsewhere, over time the old canal will be reclaimed back to its former glory and beyond the linear park there is a proposed prestigious development around the next stretch of the canal.

The developer is very keen to work with us to present the clock in a suitable setting, retaining as much of the original character as is possible. It is early days yet but keep watching (watching – get it?)

Barry Liggett

SCAN article

The following update appeared in the May 2006 issue of the SCA newsletter.

Many of you will know that we are hoping to site the old sewage works clock in a specially built tower, within the proposed marina complex, part of the canal re-instatement.

An excellent meeting was held earlier in February at West Park School with Zac & Stephen, two students who are designing four information boards to accompany the clock (an early draft of one is shown here) explaining the history of the clock and the canal as well as details of Acordis and Severn-Trent Water. This part of the project has been aided by a donation from Acordis (now Acetate Products). Representatives from Severn Trent, Acetate Products, the Canal Society, Smiths (Clocks) Derby, ADDC (the architect designing the marina complex) and the Village Improvement Committee.

You may have seen the recent article in the Derby Evening Telegraph in which Zac and Stephen were asking for information about the history of the clock. If any of you do have memories about the clock in it's original setting we would be grateful if you would get in touch, either directly with Mrs Goddard at West Park School or one of the Village Improvement Committee members.

Next steps

Our plans are to restore the clock to its former glory as an educational exhibit, forming a centrepiece of the new Heartwood Marina. To this end, we are working with John Smith's who built the clock originally in 1902. They are proposing an electric "rewinding mechanism" and a GPS-driven timing adjuster so that the clock will run unattended.

To exploit the educational potential, the clock housing will have four interpretation boards explaining the history of the clock, its original siting and something of Spondon's industrial heritage. These are currently being designed for us by pupils of West Park Community School. Funding has been provided by a grant from Acetate Products.

Take a look at the other major VIC projects (Chapel Lane cemetery refurbishment, support for the re-opening of Derby & Sandiacre Canal and the Village History Trail), or past and planned events.